Compass and the like



' March l1, 1952 c. A. VAN PAPPELENDAM 2,588,780

COMPASS AND THE LIKE med Ju1y 11, 1949 mmm m mmmmmmmmmmmmm IllmIlmlmllLIImMHIlllIm/mllll/lllm':

. /fYz/E/YTOQ, CARL A VAN/Ama wp/4M Patented Mar. 11, 1952 UNITED 'S TAT'E'S PATENT OFFICE COMPASS AND THE LIKE Carl A. van Pappelendam, Monrovia, Calif. Application July 11, 1949, Serial No. 103,972

139 Claims. 1

vMy invention relates 'to new and useful improvements in Compasses, dividers, 'calipers and the like.

For the purpose of illustration, I'disclosea compass comprising two `legs whose upper ends are pivoted .on a cylindrical member against which they Aare held by a C-shaped spring, an `adjusting 'screw pivoted'to said legs and functioning to control 'the spread, or distance between `the lower ends 'of said legs, and screw clamps at the lower ends of said legs for holding metal points, pencil leadspens or other accessories. A small handle atthe upper end 'of the 'compass serves as vaconvenient means for manipulating it.

An "object'of my invention is `to save a considerable part of the time generally consumed in turning the adjusting screw of a compass or Ithe like to change the spread of the legs.

vAnother object of my linventionis to embody in a compass'and the like, the advantage of 'a quick approximate setting to any required spread 4within the range of the instrument, and also vthe advantage of a precise screw adjustment.

Another -object of my invention is to yprovide Compasses -and the Vlike with an adjusting `nut by which the adjusting screw articulates with one of the legs 'of the compass or the like, Asaid ladjusting nut Vbeing-so constructed that its threads can readily be disengaged from, or engaged with, the threadsof the adjusting screw.

Another object 'of `my invention is to provide Compasses and the like with a quick adjusting means 'which is economical to construct, which can be -operated easily and quickly, and which is simple and durable.

Another advantage of my invention is that it can readily be embodied in many conventional compasses and the like, without any change in the construction of the instrument, other than to provide the instrument with an adjustable nut.

Another advantage of my invention is that there need be no external connections between the adjusting nut and the compass leg in which it is installed.

My invention has other objects, advantages and features, some of which, with the foregoing will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings of a compass embodying certain forms of my invention. It should be undei-stood, however, that ,the particular embodiments shown and described are chosen for the purposes of exemplication only, since the invention may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to thedrawings: 4

Figure 1 is an upright front View of a compass embodying 'my invention;

Figure 2 is an upright side View showing theA adjusting nut extending a short distance out from each side of one of the legs;

Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 3--3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a-section taken along the line '4 5 in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the rear, or slotted, member of the adjusting nut;

Figure 6 lis a side View of the rear member of the adjusting'nutshown'in Figure 5;

VFigure 7 is `a plan 'of the front member of the adjusting nut;

Figure 8 is a side View of the front member of the adjusting nut shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 isa section showing another form of the adjusting nut and adjacent portions of the leg and screw;

Figure 10 is a plan view of the rear member-of this second form of adjusting nut;

Figure '11 yis aside View of the rear member shown in Figure 10;

Figure l2 is a plan of the front member of the second form of adjusting nut;

Figure 13 is a side View of the front member shown in Figure 12;

Figure vla is a section through the leg and a portion ofthe adjusting screw nearest the adjusting screw thumb-piece, showing a construction differing from that shown in Figure 3; and

Figure 15 is a section, similar to Figure 14, showing a construction differing from that shown in Figure 14.

Referring to said drawings, the numeral I l indicates a cylindrical hinge pin which pivotally connects Ithe upper ends of the legs I2 and I3, said legs being held against the pin by the C-shaped spring I 4. A handle I5 is pressed on the shaft It which passes through a hole `in the spring I4 and is firmly screwed into the hinge pin l l. The lower end'of each leg is provided with a clamp operated by a screw I 'I which can be used to hold a pencil lead, a steel point, the tang of a suitably designed pen so lthat circles may be drawn in ink, or the tang of some other accessory.

An adjusting screw I8 extends through a bore Isc in each leg and is articulated relative thereto by means of adjusting nut I9 and cylindrical pin 2t, respectively, each of which is rotatable in a bore |811` which intersects la and the axis of which is parallel to hinge pin II. Screw I8 consists of a shaft having an elongated threaded portion 2i, and-at its rend adjacent leg I3 a ful-l diameter, unth-readed portion 22, and an end portion 23, of reduced diameter, rotatably seated in a transverse hold `2lI through the Lpin 20. A thumbpiece 25, by which the screw can be turned, is fitted to the small end 23 of the shaft and is held by means of the small pin 26. A shoulder 21 on the shaft and the end of the thumb-piece 25 at 21 bear in counterbores in the pin 2B so as to prevent end play of the adjusting screw in the pin.

The adjusting nut IB comprises two pieces, which for convenience I shall refer to as the front and rear members, and a spring. As shown in.

the side portions of which are cut away so as to leave a tongue 34 and a cylindrical head 35 at one end. A transverse hole 36 through the tongue is threaded on its rearward side 3l, its forward side 31 remaining smooth. To assemble, the

helical spring 38 is inserted in the hole 36 in the rear member 28 which is then placed in the hole provided in the leg I2. The tongue 34 of the front member 33 is then placed in the slot 29 of the rear member and firmly pressed against the spring 38 until the holes 3I and 36, through the two members, are in alignment. The threaded portion 2| of the adjusting screw I8, which is of smaller diameter, is now inserted in the aligned holes 3I and 3E and the members 28 and 33 are released. The assembled adjusting screw and adjusting nut are shown in section in Figure 4. It will be noted that the spring 33 operates to separate members 28 and 33 and in doing so forces the threads 32 and 3l, respectively, of the transverse holes 3I and 36 of these members into engagement with the threads 2| of adjusting screw I8.

The operation of my compass is simple and rapid. Firmly pressing the members 28 and 33 of the adjusting nut together displaces the threaded sides 32 and 3l from engagement with the threads 2I of the adjusting screw I8 and releases the leg I2 therefrom whereupon the legs I2, I3 can be pivoted freely to approximately any desired spread within the range of the instrument. Also, the sides of the holes 3l and 36 being unthreaded opposite the threaded surfaces 32 and 31, upon being moved into contact with the screw element by the displacement described, provide a smooth guideway for that element so that it is permitted to slide freely as the legs I2 and I3 pivot relative to each other. The displaceable members 23 and 33 at all times maintain the same angular relationship relative to their common central axis as they make sliding contact with each other along flat surfaces. This coupled with the fact that the screw element is enclosed by both holes 3l and 36 insures that the threaded portions 32 and 31 will under all circumstances be guided as to move in parallelism when engaging and disengaging the screw element.

Upon being released the members 28 and 33 of the adjusting nut are forced apart by the spring 38 and the threads 32 and 3l move into engagement with the threads 2I of adjusting screw I8.

An exact accurate setting can then be made by turning the thumb-piece 25 to effect the rotation of screw I8 in threads 32 and 31 of nut I9 and which in turn draws the leg I2 toward or forces it from the leg I3. In short, in using the compass as described large changes in the spread of the legs can be elected rapidly and micrometric changes can be made by the usual thumb screw means.

A modified form of adjusting nut is shown in Figures 9 to 13 in which the rear member is indicated by the numeral 40, the front member by 45, and the helical spring by 50. Instead of a medial slot being cut in the rear member. a hemicylindrical portion is cut away leaving another hemicyclindrical portion 4I. The blind hole 42 for the spring 50 is shown asymmetric with the axis of the member 40, and a large hole 43 in portion 4I is partly threaded at 44 on its forward side. The front member 45 also has a hernicylinclrical part, indicated at 46, through which passes the hole 48 threaded on the rear side at 43. The assembly and operation of this modified form of my invention is accomplished in the same manner as the form first described. It will be noted that in this embodiment the front and rear members 45 and 40 are identical except for the blind hole 42 seating the spring 40 in the rear member. If preferred the spring can be used with each member in which event they would be identical whereby manufacturing would be simplified.

With the adjusting nuts of Figures 4 to 8, inclusive, and Figures 9 to 13, inclusive, various forms of adjusting screws may be used. In the form shown in Figure 3 both the rough and micro adjustments take place between the screw and the adjusting nut. That is, after the rough adjustment has been obtained with the adjusting nut compressed and it has been released to engage the screw I8, rotation of the latter causes the nut to feed therealong to pivot the legs relative to each other. In this form the screw rotates freely at its reduced cylindrical portion 23 in the pin 20 which does not shift its position longitudinally on the screw.

A second form of adjusting screw is illustrated in Figure 14 and bears the reference character 5I. This form is oppositely threaded upon opposite sides of a mid-section 52 between the legs I2 and I3 and is adapted threadedly to engage each leg. A thumb-piece 54 is aixed to the extreme end of screw 5I outside leg I3. The leg I2 is engaged through an adjustable nut as described while the interiorly Unthreaded pin 28 of the structure of Figure 3 is replaced by an interiorly threaded pin 53 which feeds along the screw as the latter rotates. As the screw 5I is oppositely threaded where it engages the legs I2 and I3 it follows that the rate of separation will be increased for each rotation of the screw for both the adjustable nut and the pin travel thereon and in opposite directions. Aside from this distinction the operation is as above described.

A third form of adjusting screw is illustrated in Figure 15. Here, as in the embodiment of Figure 14, the screw, indicated by the reference character 55, threadedly engages an interiorly t readed pin at the leg I3. Upon the opposite side of the midsection 52, however, the screw is formed as a rack comprising a series of adjacent concentric grooves or threads instead of a continuous thread as in the screws of Figures 3 and 14. While several threads on the engaging adjusting nut are desirable for durability, a single thread is sufficient for operation. The part of the nut carrying the thread would then be, in effect, a simple pawl. In this case it is not necessary that the circular threads be closely spaced. They can be some distance apart, the microtherefor and being interiorly threaded for a portion of said guideway to engage and seat the threads of said screw element in certain positions, extending upon opposite sides of the leg in which it is positioned, said displaceable members being manually movable between positions to engage and to disengage said screw element.

6. In a device of the class described, first and second legs pivotally connected, an adjusting rotary screw element extended through each leg and between said legs at a distance from the pivotal axis, a rotatable element seating said screw element in each leg and having its axis parallel to the pivotal axis, one of said rotatable elements having relatively displaceable members each formed with guide holes for said screw element at least one of which is threaded on one of its sides, said members extending upon opposite sides of the leg in which they are positioned, a spring normally urging said displaceable members to engage the threaded portions of their holes with said rotary screw element, said displaceable members being relatively movable under manually exerted oppositely directed forces to disengage said rotary element to permit of free pivotal movement of said legs.

7. The construction recited in claim 6 charactei-ized in that said relatively displaceable members are hemicylindrical and are juxtapositioned to make sliding contact and in that their ends extended upon opposite sides of said leg are cylindrical.

8. rThe construction recited in claim -6 characterized in that said rotatable element threadedly seats said screw element in each of said legs, said screw element being oppositely threaded at its extensions through said legs to effect their movement in opposite directions upon its own rotation.

9. The construction recited in claim 6 characterized in that said rotatable element threadedly seats said screw element in each of said legs, said screw element being formed with a discontinuous circular thread in its extension engageable with the one of said rotatable elements having relatively displaceable members and with a continuous thread in its extension engageable with the other of said rotatable elements.

l0. T he construction recited in claim 6 characterized in that said rotary screw element is unthreaded in its extension through one of said rotatable elements for rotation without longitudinal displacement.

11. The construction recited in claim 6 characterized in that said rotary screw element is threaded in its extension through said rotatable element including the relatively displaceable members and in that at least one of said displaceable members threadedly engages said rotary screw element.

12. The construction recited in claim 6 characterized in that said rotary screw element seats threadedly in each of said rotatable elements.

13. The construction recited in claim 6 characterized in that said rotary screw element is formed with a continuous thread in its extension seating one of said rotatable elements, and is formed with discontinuous circular threads in its extension seating the other rotatable element.

14. In a device of the class described, rst and second legs pivotally connected, an adjusting rotary screw element extended through each leg and between said legs at a distance from the pivotal axis, a rotatable element seating said parallel to the pivotal axis, one of said rotatable elements having relatively displaceable members extending upon opposite sides of the leg in which it is positioned, said members of said one rotatable element being formed with aligned holes through which said screw element extends, said holes being of greater size than the diameter of said screw element and threaded on opposite sides to engage said element, a spring normally retaining said displaceable members in threaded engagement with said screw element, said displaceable members being relatively movable under manually exerted oppositely directed forces to disengage their threaded sides from said screw element and to engage their Unthreaded sides therewith to guide said screw element as it slides therethrough upon the relative pivotal movement of said legs.

15. The construction recited in claim 14 characterized in that said relatively displaceable members are formed with overlapping ends making sliding contact suihcient to prevent relative angular movement between said members, and in that said spring comprises a coil spring positioned between said members.

16. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pair of legs pivotally connected, an adjusting screw to vary the angular relationship of said legs extended therebetween, and an adjustable nut seating said screw in one of said legs, said nut comprising: a pair of members rotatably seated in said one leg for angular adjustment about a major axis parallel to the pivotal axis of said legs and abutting each other in slidable engagement for relative displacement in the direction of said major axis only, resilient means exerting a moving force on said members in the direction of said major axis, said nut being formed with a passage extended through said members across said major axis and which is greater in its interior dimension parallel to said major axis than the diameter of said screw, said passage being threaded upon one side in one of said members and upon its opposite side in the other of said members, said threaded sides being spaced in the direction of said major axis, characterized in that said resilient means exerts a force between said members to move the threaded portions of said passage into engagement with said screw, and in that upon the relative displacement of said membersby a manually applied force in opposition to the force of said resilient means the unthreaded portions of said passage provide a guideway for said screw to slide through upon the relative pivotal movement of said legs.

17. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pair of legs pivotally connected, an

adjusting screw to vary the angular relationship of Said legs extended therebetween, and an adjustable nut seating said screw in one of said legs, said nut comprising: a pair of members rotatably seated in said one leg for angular adjustment about a major axis parallel to the pivotal axis of said legs and each formed with surfaces extended parallel to said major axis abutting in slidable relationship a similar surface on the other member, resilient means exerting a moving force on said members in the direction of said major axis, said nut being formed with a passage extended through said members across said major axis and which is greater in its interior dimension parallel to said major axis than the diameter of said screw, said passage being threaded screw element in each leg and having its axis 1| upon one side in one of said members and upon its opposite side in the other of said members, said threaded sides being spaced in the direction of said major axis, characterized in that said resilient means exerts a force between said members to move the threaded portions of said passage into engagement with said screw, and `in that upon the relative displacement of said members by a, manually applied force in opposition to the force of said resilient means the unthreaded portions of said passage provide a guideway for said screw to slide through upon the relative pivotal movement of said legs.

18. In a device of the class described, the combination of a pair of legs pivotally connected, an adjusting screw to vary the angular relationship of said legs extended therebetween, and an adjustable nut seating said screw in one of said legs, said nut comprising: a pair of members rotatably seated in said one leg for angular adjustment about a major axis parallel to the pivotal axis of said legs, one of said members being formed with a slot extended in the direction of the major axis of said nut and the other of said members being formed with a tongue extended into said slot, said tongue and slot relationship providing for relative longitudinal displacement between said members in the direction of said major axis and preventing relative angular movement between said members, resilient means exerting a moving force on said members in the direction of said major axis, said nut being formed with a passage extended through said members across said major axis and which is greater in its interior dimension parallel to saidmaior axis than the diameter of said screw, said passage being threaded upon one side in one of said members and upon its opposite side in the other 'of said members, said threaded sides being spaced in the direction of said major axis, characterized in that said resilient means exerts a force between said members to move the threaded portions of said passage into engagement with said screw, and in that upon the relative displacement of said members by a manually applied force in opposition to the force of said resilient means the unthreaded portions of said passage provide a guideway for said screw to slide through upon the relative pivotal movement of said legs.

19. The construction recited in claim 18 characterized in that said resilient means comprises a spring carried by said one member at the end of said slotin abutting relationship to the adjacent end of the tongue of said other member.

CARL A. vAN PAPPELENDAM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 299,722 Bellows June 3, 1884 1,300,047 Thomas Apr. 8, 1919 2,401,321 Schwend June 4, 1946 2,422,286 Bartusch June 17, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 411,619 France Apr. 14, 1910 

